It has been a Depressing Dry Spell
It has been a week since I last wrote a posting to my blog. I am not sure why I hit this dry spell. It began with a frustration on not finding the right things I wanted to say on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
It continued when my computer refused to load the Operating System. I had to threaten a trip to the tech guy before it mysteriously worked. I defraged it and it has behaved itself ever since.
I have been depressed. . .need i say more!
I have not been very communicative with anyone.
My sows have not farrowed yet and I am exhausted from trips to the barn in the cold in the middle of the night. Still, no piglets . . .but soon. I heard another sow which was at Club Porcine with my two sow gals had a litter and was not too happy about it. . . .she attacked her landlord! I have never been attacked by a sow. (Something to look forward to. Gee, years ago my lady friend, Gayle had to shove her arm up a sows birth canal to dislodge a wedged piglet. She lived to tell about it! )
So pick the excuse you like best.
Here is what I decided to say about Dr. King.
He looms very large in my life. One of my heros from a time in my life when I was seriously trying to shape my own thinking on matters of the World. I am not one who displays many icons around my house , not even many family photos. I did for years hang Dr King's picture in my house.
When I was attending Boston University Theological School, I even referenced a copy of his doctoral dissertation. Like many of my generation he offered us leadership and hope with a vision of a better world.
Dr. Matin Luther King, Jr.
I am not very comfortable with there being a national American holiday in memory of Dr. King. So many people have good things to say about him who would at an earlier time have been in the front ranks of those who opposed him and his ideas.
Nowadays, everyone seems to be comfortable with him a a civil rights leader, it seems so right and just now. What was all the fuss about! For many of us it was obviously right and just back then with the Jim Crow segregation being a blight on the United States, and racism beyond contempt. I remember how he and others were persecuted for stating the obvious truths then. By celebrating him now his message and his life is coopted by many who would have been ready to denounce him at a previous time.
If he were alive today he would be in the front lines of the struggle against war, militarism and social justice. He would be being denouced as a radical, a liberal, (which I always thought was praiseworthy) and no double a terrorist!. So for me to hear politicians who have not done anything to further his ideas and choose to bask in the glow of his honoured place among us for political reasons makes me angry and sad.
It seems civil rights is a safe and acceptable issue to honour him today. BUT, his thought moved beyond the civil rights issue. He was more profoundly radical in his thought than any present day politician would want to be associated.
This past week, I honoured Dr. King by going back and revisiting his written ideas. Here are some of them you wont hear adopted by todays politicians. . . .sadly so!
"I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today -- my own government. ... There is something strangely inconsistent about a nation and a press that would praise you when you say, 'Be nonviolent toward [Selma, Ala. sheriff] Jim Clark!' but will curse and damn you when you say, 'Be nonviolent toward little brown Vietnamese children!' There is something wrong with that press! ...
"I'm convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. ... When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered. A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our present policies. ... True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth with righteous indignation."
A sermon on April 4, 1967 at Ebenezer Babtist Church, Atlanta
Can you imagine any present day American politician signing on to Dr. King's agenda for change. Not very likely! How different the World would be if Dr King's message had been heard and implemented.
I choose to avoid the public praise for Dr. King, as shallow faint praise and privately revisit his life, dream and vision of what could have transformed out World. Hopefully, these ideas will lie dormant until a worthy leader appears to lead us, once again.
Besides, anticipating upon becoming a midwife to two litters of pigs, I continue to frolic with my dog, Gage. I made the above collage to celebrate his life with me. As you can see he does a lot of sleeping. When outside he doesn't stand still long enough for me to get a good picture.
Hopefully, I will post more regularly for the next little while.
posted by Tossing Pebbles in the Stream @ 10:48 p.m.
![[thinkingblogger.jpg]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9OJMeQzSRU2nO1UwIYEiYq7Fy8kqyJou32tkxFyT5DF7GZKLPBVzTtUsTFfGkc6_eQomd-V7nrSg-JEGTRZS378_-eJNQsvb0GIC23MStmn9e0sFTlq_xZ4ZID58dzqFKGXb/s1600/thinkingblogger.jpg)
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10 Comments:
I know the feeling. Sometimes when we most want to do a good job writing we disappoint ourselves. it's just the way of it. BTW it seems like a fine piece to me. I hope you get over your funk. Probably by publishing this, you have already begun to do just that.
I'm happy to see you back!! I'm not a regular commenter but just love the stories of Gage and I can't wait for pics of the piglets. ( If you live to tell the tale!)
I'm glad to see you back posting, and I am sorry you have been suffering a bout of depression.. it's a terribly dark place to be.
I will not pretend to I know much about your Mr. King.. I remember little bits I've heard on the news in the past. My studies as a child were weak at the best of times. I prefered working, than learning.
Glad to see Gage again and hear news of the Sows.. sounds like you will have your hands full.. if you pardon the pun..
All the best and I look forward to hearing more from you soon.
Your uneducated fun loving friend from the U.K. :O)
pray the piglets arrive healthy and in the daylight! Sammi is in labor now so will probably be another middle of the night for us.
Do let us know when the piglets make their grand entrance.
And it appears that Gage has landed himself a dandy home with you. You are both fortunate.
As to Dr. Martin Luther King--I agree he would probably be persona non grata today with his views on war, social justice etc.
And having a day to honor him, I think, is really symbolic to recognize the place of African-Americans. We honor so many dead white guys, why not one black man?
Now, let's get to work on recognizing women!
Good luck with the piglets! I hope they come soon and all goes well. Those trips to the barn would get exhausting and especially with the temps you have there! I'm sure it's wonderful to get back to the warmth of the house!
As for the dry spell, I think we all have them from time to time.
Philip,
I stopped by the other day and noticed you hadn't been posting. This caused me some concern, as I know you are in a remote area.
I'm sorry that you have been suffering depression. Been there, done that and it is not pleasant. I wonder if you also have a touch of SADD. I was experiencing a lack and a bit of depression and my daughter told me to take Vitamin D and get out in the sun. It did help. I suggest the next time you go shopping to pick up a bottle of Vitamin D.
I enjoyed reading your views of Dr. King. When I was growing up, he was often in the headlines of the news.
Glad you and Gage are enjoying each other's company.
Now, off to read about your piglets. I will keep you in my prayers.
Blessings,
Mary
I was beginning to worry about you. I understand depression too well. I check your blog frequently and have written once before. We actually have a connection that you will probably never actually know about nor would you understand (not a hit on your intelligence). Congratulations on the new members of your farmyard family. You seem to be a one of a kind gentleman and I would love to sit and absorb some of your knowledge in person. But this could never be. Take care and never lose faith.
This was a fine piece about MLK... very nice. Glad you're back to posting again. Many of us are stuck in the winter blahs....Take care...
Depression :( is so depressing not to be smart about it. Sun definitely helps but in the cold North East you don't see much of it. I start feeling it in September when the light changes and the days get short. Hope you feel better.
About Gage, there's no love like dog love. Amen.
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